Rope socket



Jan. 22, 1935. w. F. BIRD ROPE SOCKET Filed March 5, 1934 WILLIAM BIRD /NVENTOR Patented `an. 22, 1935 uNirEDz ROPE sogigr l* v William Franklin Bird, Taft, Calif. Application March 5, 1934, Serial No. 713,980

Claims.

The object of my invention is to provide a means for quickly and rmly attaching a wire rope, for example a bailing line, to a tool such as a bailer, which is to be suspended and operated in a deep 5 well.

It is present practice to suspend tools of this or similar character by means of a wire line, and to attach this line to the tool by means of an internally tapered socket somewhat similar to that shown in Fig. 2 of the annexed drawing. To prevent the end of the line from drawing through the taper it is customary to enlarge the end in some manner, as for example by separating the constituent wires at the end of the rope and casting a block of solder or Babbitt metal through and around them. This method is effective but is tedious to apply and has the further disadvantage that it is impossible to remove the rope from the socket without cutting off the end and driving the stub out of the socket.

In the use of my proposed device it is possible to instantly and firmly lay hold of the rope and also to immediately remove it, when required, without cutting.

In the annexed drawing, which illustrates a preferred form of my invention:

Fig. 1 is an illustration, partly in elevation and partly in section, of the device assembled on the end of the wire line;

Fig. 2 is a cross section of the socket block proper;

Fig. 3 is a section through the slips, indicated at 17 in Fig. 1, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the slips, shown in a closed position, and

Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the slips, shown in an open position and ready to be placed around the line.

Referring to the drawing, 10 is the rope socket, a block of steel, rounded off at the upper end as at 11, internally tapered asat 12, cylindrically bored to a slightly larger diameter than the larger end of the taper, as at 13, and internally threaded at its lower end as at 14. This thread is adapted to t the male end thread of any tool, such as a bailer, as indicated at 15 in Fig. l. The upper end of the socket is bored to a diameter slightly greater than that of the largest line to be passed through it, as at 16.

Within the taper 12 I place a set of slips 17, preferably three in number, formed with internal teeth directed downwardly and tapered outside to exactly fit the taper 12. The thickness of these slips should be such that when they are in a closed position they will move upwardly within the taper 12 to its upper end, or about the position indicated at 18, and such'that when they are in this position the internal teeth will have taken a rm hold on the line which they surround. In Fig. 1 the slips are Ashown at the lower end 5 of their travel and the teeth out of contact with the line. When the threaded end 15 of the bailer or other tool is screwed upwardly, its upper end 20 bears against the lower end 21 of the slips and forces the slips upwardly and inwardly, into rm engagement with the line.

The slips may be placed around the free end of the line by hand and temporarily retained by a wire tie or a spring clip, while they are being drawn into the taper and into engagement with the line, but I prefer to hinge them togetherin substantially the manner shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5. As shown in these gures, two of the slips are slotted adjacent one edge, and the third adjacent each edge, at a point near the large ends of the slips, as at 22, curved links 23 are laid in these slots, and threaded pins 24 are passed through perforations 25 situated near each end of each link. In Fig. 4, a link 23 is shown with one pin withdrawn and the link folded outwardly to indicate its form, it being understood that this is not an operative position. This illustration shows that the perforation 25 is elongatedk to form a short slot, in order toy allow a limited play of the link as regards the pins. This construction permits the three slips to be opened suiiiciently to permit the line 19 to be passed through the opening 26 and positively prevents relative end movement of the slips while they are being seated. 35

I claim as my invention:

l. A rope socket comprising: an internally tapered body member circular in cross section both internally and externally; a plurality of slips outwardly formed to t the taper in said body and inwardly provided with gripping teeth adapted to engage a cylindrical object and directed toward the larger end of said taper, and means for attaching a tool to said body 'at the end adjacent the larger end of said taper.

2. A rope socket comprising: an internally tapered body member having the end adjacent the small end of said taper externally rounded; a plurality of slips outwardly formed to t the taper in said body and inwardly provided with gripping teeth directed toward the larger end of said taper, and an internally threaded recess in said body at the end adjacent the larger end of said taper for attaching a tool to said body.

3. A rope socket comprising: an internally tapered body member; a plurality of slips outwardly formed to fit the taper in said body and inwardly provided with gripping teeth directed toward the larger end of said taper, and means for attaching a tool to said body at the end adjacent the larger end of said taper, said means being so formed as to cause said tool to force said slips toward the smaller end of said taper when said tool is attached to said body.

4. A rope socket comprising: an internally tapered body member; a plurality of slips outwardly formed to t the taper in said body and inwardly provided with gripping teeth directed toward the larger end of said taper; means for attaching a tool to said body at the end adjabody and a plurality of gripping cent the larger end of said taper, and hinge means adjacent the larger ends of said slips whereby said slips may be separated for passing laterally around a cable while being held in substantial longitudinal alignment.

5. In a device having an internally tapered slips formed externally to fit said taper, hinge means comprising: a slot formed in the larger end of each saidslip in' a plane normal'to the axis of said body; slotted straps fitting slots in adjacent slips, and pins inserted in said slips and passing through said slots.

W'ILLIAM FRANKLIN BIRD. 

